Boris Johnson will face Jeremy Hunt in the final battle to become Conservative leader and prime minister, after Michael Gove was knocked out by a margin of just two in the last round of MPs’ votes.
Brexit figurehead Mr Johnson goes as overwhelming favourite into the last phase of the long drawn-out contest to succeed Theresa May, after securing the support of more than half of the 313 Tory MPs in the fifth round of voting at Westminster, with a tally of 160.
Environment secretary Mr Gove – who had briefly moved into second place earlier in the day – was edged out by Mr Hunt by the narrowest of margins, taking 75 votes to the foreign secretary’s 77.
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The two survivors from last week’s original line-up of 10 now go forward to a postal ballot of around 160,000 Conservative Party members in the country.
A series of more than a dozen regional hustings will take place in Birmingham on Saturday, with the successor to Theresa May as prime minister named in the week of July 22.
Mr Hunt acknowledged he was the “underdog” in the national showdown, after polling suggesting the former London mayor is the favourite of Tory members.
But he insisted: “In politics surprises happen, as they did today.”
Mr Johnson is widely considered to prefer a run-off against Mr Hunt, who backed Remain in the 2016 EU referendum and has been portrayed by rivals as the “continuity May” candidate.
His success in leapfrogging Mr Gove into second place has sparked renewed speculation at Westminster about the possible “lending” of supporters by the Johnson camp to get the foreign secretary over the line.
Mr Hunt picked up 18 supporters to Mr Gove’s 14 after the elimination of Sajid Javid earlier in the day, with an additional three MPs going to Mr Johnson. Announcing the result in a Westminster committee room, the acting co-chair of the backbench 1922 Committee Dame Cheryl Gillan revealed that all Tory MPs voted and just one ballot paper was spoilt.
The Johnson camp have consistently rejected any suggestion of deployment of the electoral dark arts as “nonsense”.
And Hunt backer Greg Hands denied any lending of votes, saying: “I have seen no evidence of that – it was a contest fairly and squarely fought.”
Mr Johnson said he was “deeply honoured” to have secured the support of more than 50 per cent of Tory MPs, adding: “I look forward to getting out across the UK and to set out my plan to deliver Brexit, unite our country, and create a brighter future for all of us.”
Brexit hardliner Dominic Raab rejected suggestions that the former foreign secretary was softening his stance on EU withdrawal, having declined to guarantee departure by the 31 October deadline during a TV debate. Pressed on the BBC broadcast to give a hard and fast guarantee, Mr Johnson said only that it was “eminently feasible”.
Mr Raab – who swung behind the former London mayor after being eliminated in the second round of voting – said Mr Johnson’s comment had been “over-interpreted”.
And he added: “I talked to him before I came out in support and he remained very clear on that commitment.”
Robert Buckland, a Johnson backer who voted Remain in the referendum, said: “My view is that Boris’s policy is to avoid a deliberate crash-out, he wants a deal”.
Mr Hands described the foreign secretary as “the man who can open the door in Brussels”, saying the Hunt camp “hope” to leave on 31 October. But he added: “We are not going to die in the ditch….if it takes a bit longer, so be it”
Mr Gove – who also failed in a bid for prime minister in 2016 – said he was “naturally disappointed not to make it to the final two, but “so proud of the campaign we ran”.
“It’s been an honour to be able to set out a vision for the future of our great country.” he said. “Many congratulations to Boris and Jeremy.”
Mr Hunt said: “‘m the underdog – but in politics surprises happen as they did today. I do not doubt the responsibility on my shoulders – to show my party how we deliver Brexit and not an election, but also a turbo-charged economy and a country that walks tall in the world.”
